Saturday, April 29, 2006

The Edaran Endurance Classic 2006 was launched today at the Corus Hotel in downtown Kuala Lumpur. Two Arab horses were brought in especially for this launch. Desert Queen and Desert Princess, recently imported from Australia, were ridden by Tuan Hj. Mohd Shu?aib?s ?princesses? Nabilah and Nabihah.

This is the fourth consecutive year that the Edaran Endurance Classic is being held. It takes place at ar-Raudhah Equine Centre, Jalan Kampung Bunga Raya, Kuang Selangor, from 5th to 7th May.

Earlier, Yang Berbahagia Dato? Abdul Hamid Mustapha, chairman of Edaran Endurance Classic welcomed the media and guests to the press conference. This year the Edaran Endurance Classic?s main ride is a CEI*** 120 km event. It is one of 5 qualifying events for the Doha Asian Games this year. There are three other rides, an 80 km, a 40 km and a 15 km Young Riders Guided Ride.

With RM45,000 in prize-money they have still managed to attract international interest. American Stephanie Teeter, most famous as the person behind Endurance.Net makes her second visit to Malaysia. Begian Leonard Liesens is a veteran endurance rider who competed in the World Equestrian Games in 1998. He is Belgian national champion and recently won the WEG Trial at Aachen.

Both Teeter and Liesens are expected to ride in the 80 km ride. They will ride on Sabah horses that are being brought in and specially conditioned for the Edaran Endurance Classic.

Sixty-three entries have been received so far for this year?s event. For more information about how you can enter the Edaran Edurance Classic, please visit their website at www.edaranendurance.com.

Dato? Abdul Hamid said that the Edaran Endurance Classic had a role to play in the run-up to the World Equestrian Championships that will be held in Terengganu in 2008. ?We believe that endurance riders, both local and international, aiming to participate in the prestigious WEC 2008 will seek out opportunities in Malaysia to train and build up their endurance skills for the 2008 event.?

EAM Executive Secretary Major Yap, who is on the Ground Jury of this event, answered a few questions from Equestrian.Com.My about the significance of the event. He confirmed that it is one of five qualifiers for December?s Doha Asian Games. Two of the events have previously been held. Edaran Endurance Classic is the third. After Edaran there will be two more qualifiers left, in Kelantan in June and in Terengganu in August. He said the qualifier that was held in Mardi will not be taken into account as the distance had been shortened. He said that the best five riders and horses would be short-listed for the Doha Asian Games. Overseas results would also be taken into account, providing it was at 120 km or longer.

When asked about current standings after two events, Maj. Yap said that the EAM had the results of the first two events and would publish qualification standings ?soon.?

OP riders from Bahrain and the GCC will take part in the last endurance race of the season, organised by the Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef), on Wednesday starting at midnight at the Bahrain International Endurance Village in Sakhir.

The race, to be held under the patronage of Breef president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, will be over 100 kms and divided into four stages. The first two stages will be over 30 kms each, 25 kms for the third and 15 kms for the fourth.

Shaikh Nasser welcomed the participants from across the Gulf and wished them the very best in the championship. The awarding ceremony will take place right after the race.

Meanwhile, the Breef will be assisted in organising the race by officials from the Oman Equestrian Federation (OEF) who are expected to arrive in the Kingdom on Tuesday.

The Omani team delegation will be headed by OEF president Mohammed bin Isa Al Fairooz and will include eight riders.

The FEI has received notice that Sheikh Hazza bin Sultan al Nahyan (UAE) has filed an appeal with the Swiss Federal Supreme Court to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) which had disqualified him as the winner of the 2005 World Endurance Championship.

Note to the editor :On 10 March 2006, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) issued its decision in the matter of the appeal concerning the winner of the 2005 FEI Endurance World Championship, Sheikh Hazza bin Sultan al Nahyan (UAE). The rider was disqualified after his horse Hachim tested positive to the prohibited substance Methylprednisolone.

The FEI Judicial Committee had dismissed the positive medication case concerning Hachim, due to an irregularity in the usual legal procedure, whereby Sheikh Hazza was denied the possibility to send a witness to the laboratory to attend the confirmatory analysis.

In this case, the CAS panel was faced with determining where the delicate balance should lie between the strict liability afforded to riders by the FEI?s medication control rules and the due process rights of athletes. The FEI Judicial Committee panel that initially considered the matter decided on the basis of the facts and law before them that under the circumstances, Sheikh Hazza?s procedural rights prevailed. After considering very substantial briefs as well as new written and oral testimony from all parties, the CAS panel decided that the balance rather lies in favour of the rules enacted by the FEI General Assembly to ensure a level playing field.

The decision of the Judicial Committee is published on the Legal section of the FEI website www.horsesport.org. The decision concerning the appeal will be published in due course on the CAS website: www.tas-cas.org.

Thursday, April 27, 2006

BRIGHTON -- When Sandra Wright started participating in competitive trail rides with her horse, Skky, two years ago, she knew she was taking up the right hobby.

Her first 15-mile ride on the trails in Brighton was so enjoyable, Wright logged 240 miles in her first year of entering competitions. She said she could feel a change in her horse's attitude and behavior when they got on the trail.

"Three miles into the ride I realized this was what my horse wanted to do," said Wright, a Howell resident. "He was so happy. It just felt like that was what he was made to do."[More ...]

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

When I first heard about Lord Fauntleroy I thought, that?s a pretty fancy name for a mule. But Leroy (as most of his fan base called him) was a pretty impressive mule. And many in the New Almaden area say his death last month at 37-years-old marked the end of era.With still a lot of race to go, (left) Leroy, Virl Norton and Lady Eloise pose for a photo. Photos courtesy of Quicksilver Endurance Riders

So who was Lord Fauntleroy?

Maryben Stover, president of the Quicksilver Endurance Riders, cared for Leroy the past 11 years of his life.

?Leroy was one of the real pioneers of modern endurance riding,? said Stover. ?He finished Tevis many times. In 1976, he won the Great American Horse Race from New York to Sacramento. In those days, you trailered your horse to the starting point from California to New York. The GAHR is the longest legitimate horse race ever.?

In 1974, Lord Fauntleroy finished in 58th place at Tevis. Since 1955, the Tevis Cup Ride is the oldest modern day endurance ride. The goal of the trail ride is to complete the 100-mile course from Tahoe to Auburn in 24 hours. In 1975, Leroy took 40th place with a time of 19 hours and three minutes. He finished the endurance race again in 1977 and in 1978.

Stover recently shared the story of another run at Tevis that he would have finished if it wasn't for his rider.

?They changed the course that year and Leroy did not want to go what he knew was the wrong way after 80 miles,? said Stover. ?So being a mule and smarter than the rider he simply refused to go down what he knew was the wrong trail. His rider had been bopping him with a crop the whole way and refused to give it up when the crew told her to do so. She finally gave up fighting him. He simply refused to budge. She would not go the right way, and Leroy would not go the new way. I am told they rescued her the next morning.?

Before Stover cared for Leroy, he was owned by Virl Norton who was known as a cowboy?s cowboy. He lived in the New Almaden area since the mid-l970?s caring and training his beloved horses, mules and even zebras. Leroy was one of the equines. And at 16 hands high the half thoroughbred donkey mix was big for a mule.

But probably Leroy?s most crowning achievement was winning the 1976 Great American Horse Race [GAHR] from New York to Sacramento. With no Federal Express or Jet Pet, Leroy and Lady Eloise were transported by horse trailer with Norton and his crew: 16-year-old son Pierce.

The GAHR is the longest legitimate horse race. In 1976, there were 105 riders from 32 states and eight foreign countries entering 14 different breeds of horses and eight mules. Only 53 finished the endurance race through the country?s mountains, plains and deserts.

With Norton at the reins, the two mules traveled across country, a 3,200-mile journey. Riders were allowed two mounts at the start of the race. When the racers entered Red Cloud, Neb. only 58 riders and 80 horses remained. Norton held the lead longer than any other rider with his two mules and rode Leroy much of the time. They were first at Kankakee, Ill., Hannibal, Mo. and Cheyenne, Colo. They were never lower than third place at any time during the race after the second week.

Norton alternated mules until Lady Eloise became lame at Winnemucca, Nev. Leroy was the mule who brought Norton to the finish line of the Cal-Expo State Fair in Sacramento and won the coveted first prize of $25,000. There was even a book written about the event, "The Great American Horse Race of 1976." The GAHR broke the world record and still is the longest legitimate horse race. And the record still stands today.Lord Fauntleroy relaxes in retirement at Maryben Stover?s pasture. Circa 2003.

Norton was known as ?the Mule Man? at GAHR. He expected to win and explained how he would.

?Watch the mules,? said Norton in one of the many interviews during the cross country GAHR. ?They?re tougher and can take tough terrain and blacktop better than a horse.?

Since the GAHR, Norton rode the Tevis eight times, three times on a horse but five times on Leroy. When Norton died in 1995, Stover promised her friend that Leroy would have a pasture for the rest of his life. Leroy spent the last 11 years on Stover?s pasture surrounded by other horses and a mule off McKean Road.

?We are only a mile away or so from Virl?s old place so Leroy was very happy,? said Stover. ?I?d turn him loose in the yard and he?d run and buck and take off to where he used to live. He was very smart. I sometimes have flights of fancy that Virl knows that Leroy is happy and healthy.?

Sadly, Leroy died in March. He was old, colicky, missing many teeth and at 37 not a candidate for surgery. Stover says ?his body just gave out.?

?When the vet came, Leroy knew he was there and with one last effort got to his feet and walked out of the barn,? said Stover. ?We laid him on the grass in the yard. He just knew it was his time.?

At the meeting, a new FEI president will be announced from a list of three officials representing Jordan, Greece and Denmark.

The schedule of the World Showjumping Champion-ship is also to be confirmed at the meeting. Two Arab riders - Saudi Arabian duo Ramzi Al Duhami and Abdulla Al Sharbatli - have already booked berths in this prestigious event after taking the top two positions in the Arab League qualifier.

Bahrain is one of many countries interested to host the next year's general assembly meeting of the FEI which has around 120 countries taking part in its programmes.

Mary Lutz, Director of Endurance for the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), has verified that recent changes in FEI policies have led to the cancelation of the scheduled 2007 Pan American Endurance Championship.

In the past, FEI has viewed the United States as being composed of 5 Zones and Canada as composed of 2 Zones. Each of these zones has been treated as a "country" with respect to entry into the Continental (North American) and Intercontinental (Pan American) Endurance Championships.

The recent FEI policy change results in United States and Canadian representation in Intercontinental (Pan American) Endurance Championships being limited to 6 individual participants, one team, from each participating National Federation - plus 6 additional individual participants from the hosting federation.

This effectively means that Pan American Championship events, when held in North America, will have a smaller field of competitors. (a total field of 18 individual riders, two teams, from United States and Canada).

In addition, each Central or South American country that participates may field 6 individuals, one team, - but given the expense and logists of competing in North America, South American participation is usually minimal.

This effect has led the Organizing Committee for the 2007 Pan American Championship in Manitoba to withdraw their bid. They are concerned that they would not be able to cover the expenses of hosting a Pan American Championship with a greatly reduced number of ride entries.

FEI is currently negotiating with Brazil as a possible alternative to the Canadian venue for the event.

North American Federations are considering hosting a North American Endurance Championship in 2007 instead of a Pan American Endurance Championship. (the FEI policy limiting entries to 6 per non-host Federation do not apply to Continental Championships).

Further information will be forthcoming from FEI and National Federations of the effected countries.

Monday, April 24, 2006

Photo by David M Warren/Inquirer. Song (left) and Danika watch as Melody Blittersdorf, of Jeffersonville, Vt., prepares food and supplements for them between the second and third loops of an endurance race in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Blittersdorf's daughter, Krista Alderdice, rode Danika, who won the award for best condition.

The tactic might have worked earlier that Sunday morning, but with 31 trail miles behind her and 19 to go, the horse nibbled with the enthusiasm of a novice marathoner offered pancakes at the two-thirds mark.

Endurance riding is the equestrian equivalent of long-distance running.

Riders, like runners, often enter the high-mileage events with a goal of simply finishing. Overall conditioning, pacing, and the common sense not to do anything stupid are as important as pure athleticism.

And distance riders get the bonus of working as a team.

"Ten. OK, up and back," directed veterinarian Meg Sleeper, calling out Ruby's 15-second pulse before a 250-foot round-trip trot. Medical safeguards are built into endurance events, and a recheck one minute later found Ruby's pulse unchanged at the equivalent of 40 beats per minute, a good rate of cardiac recovery.

The vet moved around the horse, pinching (a dehydration measure), listening (to gut activity), looking (for fatigue or injury). An assistant marked Sleeper's findings on a card that resembled a rental car no-ding diagram with a horse.

Ruby refused to open her mouth for the doctor.

"It's because she was abused," explained Botella, her face sunburned after two of the day's three loops of trail in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. "She was terrified when I got her."

Botella, who has had horses since she was a child in Glen Mills, knows nothing of Ruby's past, except that she was "rescued from a slaughterhouse herd" 12 years ago and is of mixed ancestry. (Endurance is dominated by Arabians.)

"I love going out on the trail," said Botella, 47. "You have a partnership with your horse."

Three weeks ago, she drove Ruby, 14, to the Pinelands for their second endurance ride, a 50-miler.

Horses, trailers, and women in tights filled the campsite behind the Kowboy Korral in Maxwell (north of Green Bank and south of Jenkins). For reasons that no one seems to understand, in America nearly all endurance riders are women. They were 28 of 31 starters that day.

"You can set your own goals is the reason I like it," said Patti Pizzo, who organized the three-day event (riders entered any one, two or all three).

Pizzo, who is 55 and partway through a move from the Doylestown area to Upper Black Eddy, devises a new course each year while riding the sandy trails over the winter. She was tickled this time to send riders past a Christmas tree 50 feet off the trail that someone decorated two years ago.

Pizzo got her first horse, a $50 gift from her father-in-law, a few years after graduating from Cheltenham High School in 1967. Endurance was barely beginning, out west.

A governing body formed in 1972. Endurance became the U.S. Equestrian Team's fifth discipline in 1993. Relatively unknown because it is not a spectator sport, the American export is the fastest-growing equestrian category worldwide.

While Botella pleaded with Ruby to eat her syrup-laced electrolytes, a mother-daughter team from Vermont organized their mandatory rest between trail loops like a seasoned pit crew: ice boots on the front legs; protective boots on the rear; baby food, electrolytes, apples, carrots and amino acids in the buckets.

They endured together and tied for first place with a riding time of 5 hours, 23 minutes. Botella clocked in at a respectable 7:37, ranking 16th among 24 finishers; seven starters had been taken out by vets along the way.

The award for best condition went to Danika, the 13-year-old half-Arab ridden by Krista Alderdice, 29, of Jericho, Vt.

Mother and daughter might have faced tougher competition if Sleeper, 38, had been riding Shyrocco Troilus instead of playing doctor that day.

She bred Troy 15 years ago, choosing a name that reflected his Anglo Arabian ancestry and her love of Chaucer. He carried the University of Pennsylvania veterinary cardiologist from her farm near Frenchtown, N.J., to the last world competition, in Dubai. She's hoping to qualify for the next one, in Germany.

Most endurance riders aren't that focused. An advice site on the Web asks first-timers what they've learned. Posted on top:

"That fat old ladies could participate."

Going the Distance With a Horse

The main disciplines for equestrian distance riding test the conditioning of horse and rider as a team.

Endurance riding

Goal: In a competition against others, fastest time wins - if the horse meets post-finish line criteria for soundness and recovery.

Standards: Governed by the American Endurance Ride Conference and Fédération Équestre Internationale.

Distances: Between 50 and 100 miles in one day, up to 150 over three days - sometimes more. Point-to-point rides may cover historic trails.

Safeguards: Several veterinary checks and rests are mandated. Stressed horses are routinely disqualified during the event. The vets' "best condition" award is coveted.

Breeds: Any "horse, mule, pony, donkey, or even a zebra, should anyone choose to ride one," says the AERC handbook.

Competition: Serious athletes compete in weight classes for points (always on the same horse) at sanctioned events. The Northeast circuit starts and ends in the Pine Barrens.

Variations: "Limited distance" rides are similar to endurance (and governed by the AERC) but only 25 to 35 miles long.

Competitive trail riding

Goals: Riders compete against themselves. Finishing within a narrow time window, they are scored based on veterinary measures of the horse's condition after the event vs. before.

Photo by David M Warren/Inquirer. Song (left) and Danika watch as Melody Blittersdorf, of Jeffersonville, Vt., prepares food and supplements for them between the second and third loops of an endurance race in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Blittersdorf's daughter, Krista Alderdice, rode Danika, who won the award for best condition.

The tactic might have worked earlier that Sunday morning, but with 31 trail miles behind her and 19 to go, the horse nibbled with the enthusiasm of a novice marathoner offered pancakes at the two-thirds mark.

Endurance riding is the equestrian equivalent of long-distance running.

Riders, like runners, often enter the high-mileage events with a goal of simply finishing. Overall conditioning, pacing, and the common sense not to do anything stupid are as important as pure athleticism.

And distance riders get the bonus of working as a team.

"Ten. OK, up and back," directed veterinarian Meg Sleeper, calling out Ruby's 15-second pulse before a 250-foot round-trip trot. Medical safeguards are built into endurance events, and a recheck one minute later found Ruby's pulse unchanged at the equivalent of 40 beats per minute, a good rate of cardiac recovery.

The vet moved around the horse, pinching (a dehydration measure), listening (to gut activity), looking (for fatigue or injury). An assistant marked Sleeper's findings on a card that resembled a rental car no-ding diagram with a horse.

Ruby refused to open her mouth for the doctor.

"It's because she was abused," explained Botella, her face sunburned after two of the day's three loops of trail in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. "She was terrified when I got her."

Botella, who has had horses since she was a child in Glen Mills, knows nothing of Ruby's past, except that she was "rescued from a slaughterhouse herd" 12 years ago and is of mixed ancestry. (Endurance is dominated by Arabians.)

"I love going out on the trail," said Botella, 47. "You have a partnership with your horse."

Three weeks ago, she drove Ruby, 14, to the Pinelands for their second endurance ride, a 50-miler.

Horses, trailers, and women in tights filled the campsite behind the Kowboy Korral in Maxwell (north of Green Bank and south of Jenkins). For reasons that no one seems to understand, in America nearly all endurance riders are women. They were 28 of 31 starters that day.

"You can set your own goals is the reason I like it," said Patti Pizzo, who organized the three-day event (riders entered any one, two or all three).

Pizzo, who is 55 and partway through a move from the Doylestown area to Upper Black Eddy, devises a new course each year while riding the sandy trails over the winter. She was tickled this time to send riders past a Christmas tree 50 feet off the trail that someone decorated two years ago.

Pizzo got her first horse, a $50 gift from her father-in-law, a few years after graduating from Cheltenham High School in 1967. Endurance was barely beginning, out west.

A governing body formed in 1972. Endurance became the U.S. Equestrian Team's fifth discipline in 1993. Relatively unknown because it is not a spectator sport, the American export is the fastest-growing equestrian category worldwide.

While Botella pleaded with Ruby to eat her syrup-laced electrolytes, a mother-daughter team from Vermont organized their mandatory rest between trail loops like a seasoned pit crew: ice boots on the front legs; protective boots on the rear; baby food, electrolytes, apples, carrots and amino acids in the buckets.

They endured together and tied for first place with a riding time of 5 hours, 23 minutes. Botella clocked in at a respectable 7:37, ranking 16th among 24 finishers; seven starters had been taken out by vets along the way.

The award for best condition went to Danika, the 13-year-old half-Arab ridden by Krista Alderdice, 29, of Jericho, Vt.

Mother and daughter might have faced tougher competition if Sleeper, 38, had been riding Shyrocco Troilus instead of playing doctor that day.

She bred Troy 15 years ago, choosing a name that reflected his Anglo Arabian ancestry and her love of Chaucer. He carried the University of Pennsylvania veterinary cardiologist from her farm near Frenchtown, N.J., to the last world competition, in Dubai. She's hoping to qualify for the next one, in Germany.

Most endurance riders aren't that focused. An advice site on the Web asks first-timers what they've learned. Posted on top:

"That fat old ladies could participate."

Going the Distance With a Horse

The main disciplines for equestrian distance riding test the conditioning of horse and rider as a team.

Endurance riding

Goal: In a competition against others, fastest time wins - if the horse meets post-finish line criteria for soundness and recovery.

Standards: Governed by the American Endurance Ride Conference and Fédération Équestre Internationale.

Distances: Between 50 and 100 miles in one day, up to 150 over three days - sometimes more. Point-to-point rides may cover historic trails.

Safeguards: Several veterinary checks and rests are mandated. Stressed horses are routinely disqualified during the event. The vets' "best condition" award is coveted.

Breeds: Any "horse, mule, pony, donkey, or even a zebra, should anyone choose to ride one," says the AERC handbook.

Competition: Serious athletes compete in weight classes for points (always on the same horse) at sanctioned events. The Northeast circuit starts and ends in the Pine Barrens.

Variations: "Limited distance" rides are similar to endurance (and governed by the AERC) but only 25 to 35 miles long.

Competitive trail riding

Goals: Riders compete against themselves. Finishing within a narrow time window, they are scored based on veterinary measures of the horse's condition after the event vs. before.

Sunday, April 23, 2006

Against the sun, 100 horses and their riders battle heat, dust and each other as they pound across the prairie from Santa Fe, N.M., to Independence, Mo.

That's how organizers of the Great Santa Fe Trail Horse Race envision an 800-mile race inspired by the story of Francis X. Aubry. In 1848, he set the horseback record for shortest time traveling from Santa Fe to Independence: five days and 15 hours.

The 2007 version of the trip would take two weeks and carry a purse of $100,000 for the winner, say promoters Jim Gray of Ellsworth and Rob Phillips of Lawrence.

"We've had response from all over the United States from people interested in the ride," said Gray, owner of Drovers Mercantile, an Old West store in Ellsworth. "Dozens have said 'Yes, I want to do it.' "

Supporters say the race would promote history, horses and tourism along the trail, an important trade route before rails crisscrossed the West.

"Everybody talks about the Santa Fe Trail. They know it was an important part of history but only 1 percent can find it on the map or knows about it in person," said Dennis Latta, executive director of the New Mexico Sports Authority in Albuquerque.

The trail includes "open spaces, range cattle and antelope.... It's a horseback Iditarod, an animal Tour de France," he said.

But others are concerned about logistics and about the dark side of Aubry's ride.

"Some historians have not included him when they wrote about the brave horse rides because he'd abuse horses. To commemorate an Aubry ride creates a skepticism about the race."

Fame at what cost?

In his day, Aubry was the Dale Earnhardt of the Santa Fe Trail. He was so famous he was nicknamed the "Skimmer of the Plains." A Missouri River steamship was named the F.X. Aubry.

Aubry made a $1,000 bet he could race on horseback from Santa Fe to Independence in less than six days. His feat was unthinkable, even by today's standards.

But Aubry ruined six horses during the race. And his body was rubbed so raw from the saddle that, according to some accounts, his saddle was caked with his blood when he arrived in Missouri.

The Santa Fe Trail Association, the group dedicated to preserving, protecting and promoting the historic trail, has discussed the race but stopped short of endorsing it.

Mike Pitel, volunteer publicity coordinator of the trail, said he thought it could be dangerous racing horses in ditches along major highways.

"When you are riding on the inside of a right of way and it's tallgrass, you don't know if your horse is going to step on a nail or a broken beer bottle," he said.

"I don't want to stand in the way of unbridled enthusiasm, but most of us are taking a wait-and-see approach to see how far this gets."

In the long run, he said, he hopes the race is a success.

"If it is, it will have a ripple effect on public awareness of the national historical trail."

21st century race

Gray said it's unfair for 21st century people to criticize the culture of the 19th century.

"We are not running horses in the same manner," he said. "We are not playing that game. Others can play it all they want to. We are having a horse race that is well taken care of.... And we are honoring Aubry because he was a man honored in his own time."

"The story of Francis Aubry is representative of the hundreds of people who just set out to accomplish something on the wide open plains," he added.

The race will be run by the standards of the American Endurance Ride Conference, which has been conducting endurance rides since the mid-1970s, Gray said. Competitors often race 100 miles a day, and typically those rides have 300 to 400 horses and riders.

The race would be run in segments, with teams using three or four horses per leg.

"We are talking about world-class, experienced riders," Gray said. "These are people who take care of their horses. There are veterinary checks at every point along the way. The guy you need to be worrying about is the fellow on the saddle. He's got to make the race all 800 miles. The horse only makes a portion of that."

The race would roughly follow U.S. 56 through northeastern New Mexico, the Oklahoma Panhandle and the length of Kansas.

Each night, the competitors would rest in a portable 50-acre race village, set up every 50 to 80 miles along the trail.

The most resistance to the race, Phillips said, "is from people who don't understand what the magnitude of the event this is going to be.

"We are doing this to show the Wild West is alive and well," said Phillips, owner of Free State Farm in Lawrence. "There's a lot of interest in it. Here, the Santa Fe Trail is our stage and the world is our audience."Reach Beccy Tanner at (316) 268-6336 or btanner@wichitaeagle.com.

Thursday, April 20, 2006

Malaysia's premier and most anticipated endurance event is back! The Edaran Endurance Classic is back for its fourth year running after succeeding to catch the interest and attention of international riders in its 2005 event.

The event organized by Edaran Digital Systems Berhad has continued to gain recognition among endurance circles worldwide ever since it was inaugurated in 2003. In 2005, the Event was graced by World Endurance Championship's Gold Medalist HH Sheikh Hazza bin Sultan Al-Nahyan and his brother HH Sheikh Khaled Sultan who were here with the endurance riders of W'rsan Stables of Dubai.

Edaran Endurance Classic 2006 will be held at the grounds of ar-Raudhah Equine Centre, 40 minutes drive from Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, from 5-7 May.

The Event this year will feature three competition rides and one non-competitive 15KM guided ride. The main competition ride will be the FEI-CEI 3 Star 120Km Ride, a distance in keeping with the standards of the World Endurance Championship.

A second ride category in the Edaran Endurance Classic 2006 is the 80km Ride, a ride category for endurance riders training for longer distances; while a third category yet, is the 40km Ride, a shorter training ride for newly initiated endurance riders.

A total of RM45,000 in prize money stands to be won.

Endurance Riding - Focus on Malaysia

The sport of endurance riding has taken on greater significance in light of Malaysia being given the prestigious honour by the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), the world governing body for equestrian sports, to host the next World Cup of Endurance Riding - the World Endurance Championship 2008 [WEC 2008]. Over the next three years, right up till WEC 2008 in August 2008 endurance riding and Malaysia will become the focus.

"We are tremendously excited by the fact that the WEC 2008 will be held in Malaysia. It is a milestone happening for our country and a major boost for the sport of endurance riding. Endurance riding in Malaysia is different from riding in Europe or the Middle East region; and it presents riders a unique set of challenges in terms of the terrain and weather. We believe that endurance riders, both local and international, aiming to participate in the prestigious WEC 2008 will seek out opportunities in Malaysia to train and build up their endurance skills for the 2008 Event. The Edaran Endurance Classic which has come to be recognized as one of the country's better organized endurance events is one such opportunity," said Dato' Abdul Hamid Mustapha, the Organising Chairman of Edaran Endurance Classic 2006.

"We hope that with the Edaran Endurance Classics, we shall be able to assist in the building up to WEC 2008 by providing the opportunities for Malaysian and international endurance riders to train and familiarize themselves and their horses with the riding conditions in Malaysia," added Dato' Hamid.

Sports Tourism

The Edaran Endurance Classic has raised some degree of international interest and awareness of endurance riding in Malaysia through the publicity of the event since the inaugural event in 2003.

"We believe that like most international sports, endurance riding has the potential to contribute to our country's tourism industry. It is a sport enjoyed by adventurous individuals who are inclined to travel to various ride venues to experience riding in different settings. Malaysia's successful bid to host the WEC 2008 speaks volumes for our country as a recognized venue for world sports events. We have to our country's credit, successfully hosted world sports events as Formula 1, Tour de Langkawi and the Commonwealth Games. This year alone, we have two major world equestrian events scheduled in Malaysia, namely the World Cup Show Jumping Final and the FEI General Assembly, both of which will be taking place over the next week. Such momentum is good for our tourism industry and we hope to be able to play our part in contributing to building up Malaysia as a preferred world sports events venue," said Dato' Hamid Mustapha.

Young Riders

In its continuing efforts to promote the sport of endurance riding among the younger generation, the Edaran Endurance Classic 2006 will feature a Young Riders Category - a non-competitive guided ride over a distance of 15km, within the grounds of ar-Raudhah Equine Centre.

"The sport of endurance riding is ideal as a sport to promote appreciation of the environment as well as the disciplines of respect and perseverance among our young people. We hope that many more young enthusiasts will join us this year to try out this healthy and noble sport," said Dato' Hamid.

Edaran Digital Systems Berhad and Endurance Riding

The Edaran Endurance Classic is an event organized and sponsored by Edaran Digital Systems Berhad, a company involved in the provision of systems integration services and smart technology solutions. The Company has chosen to champion the promotion and development of the sport of endurance riding in Malaysia because Edaran Digital Systems Berhad identifies and shares the core values and qualities of the sport, namely discipline, respect and perseverance. As a Company that believes in the corporate duty of contributing and giving back to the society, Edaran Digital System has chosen to do so through bringing this healthy and enjoyable sport to more Malaysians through the Edaran Endurance Classic events.

Pivotal Support of The Equestrian Fraternity

As in the previous years. the support and assistance of Malaysia's equestrian fraternity especially the Equestrian Association of Malaysia (EAM), the Malaysian Endurance Riders Society (MERS) Malaysian Equine Council (MEM) as well as the encouragement and support of the Ministry of Sports have been pivotal to the organization of the Edaran Endurance Classic.

"We want to especially thank the EAM, MERS and the MEM for providing us with the assistance and support without which we would not have been able to organize the event with a good degree of success over the last three years of its running. The support of the fraternity is crucial in a sport that requires us to follow the strict statutes and regulations of the FEI.. Indeed it is our hope that we will continue to receive the commitment of all these bodies so that together we can successfully and effectively build up the sport of endurance riding in Malaysia. We believe Malaysia's hosting of the WEC 2008 will give the sport the much needed push and impetus to bring it to a higher level of participation and sporting excellence in Malaysia," said Dato' Hamid Mustapha.

Edaran Endurance Classic 2006 - Programme

The Edaran Endurance Classic 2006 will begin with final registration of participants and veterinary check of the horses on Friday, 5 May.

The main competition ride, the 120KM will be flagged off the following day, Saturday, 6 May at 10.30 pm followed by the flag -off of the 80KM ride at 12 midnight. The participants of the 120KM ride category are expected to complete the ride by 10.00 am on Sunday, 7 May.

On 7 May, the 40KM will be flagged-off at 7.00am followed by the flag-off of the 15KM Young Riders' Category. The Prize Giving Ceremony will be at 4.30pm, after the vet gate closes.

MANAMA, APRIL. 20, (BNA) UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF HIS MAJESTY KING HAMAD BIN ISA AL KHALIFA, HIS MAJESTY THE KING'S ENDURANCE RACING CHAMPIONSHIP WAS FLAGGED OFF.A TOTAL OF 135 RIDERS FROM VARIOUS COUNTRIES ARE TAKING PART IN THE 130 KILOMETERS SENIOR RACE AND 120 KILOMETERS JUNIOR RACE. SOME OF THE COUNTRIES TAKING PART IN THE RACE ARE BAHRAIN, UAE, SAUDI ARABIA, KUWAIT AND QATAR. UPON THE ARRIVAL OF HM THE KING TO THE ENDURANCE VILLAGE HE WAS WELCOMED BY PRESIDENT OF THE BAHRAIN ROYAL EQUESTRIAN AND ENDURANCE FEDERATION (BREEF), SHAIKH NASSER BIN HAMAD AL KHALIFA, FIRST DEPUTY PRESIDENT, SHAIKH KHALID BIN HAMAD AL KHALIFA, HEAD OF THE ENDURANCE COMMITTEE, SHAIKH FAISAL BIN RASHID AL KHALIFA AND A NUMBER OF OFFICIALS FROM THE ORGANIZING COMMITTEE. THEN HM THE KING WATCHED PART OF THE RACE AFTER WHICH HE CONGRATULATED UAE'S SHAIKH HAZA'A BIN SULTAN BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN ON CLINCHING HM THE KING'S ENDURANCE CUP AND CONGRATULATED THE REST OF THE RIDERS WISHING THEM FUTURE SUCCESS IN OTHER CHAMPIONSHIPS. HE ALSO AFFIRMED THAT THE PARTICIPATION OF GCC RIDERS WITH THEIR FELLOW RIDERS IN BAHRAIN CREATES AN APPROPRIATE OPPORTUNITY TOWARDS FURTHER STRENGTHENING COOPERATION AMONG GCC YOUTH, WHICH IN ITS TURN HELPS ELEVATE THE STANDARDS OF THE SPORT. HM THE KING ALSO STRESSED ON THE EFFORTS EXERTED BY BREEF TO ORGANIZE THIS CHAMPIONSHIP IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY AND IN PROVIDING ALL THE SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE TO THE PARTICIPATING RIDERS. HE ALSO WISHED THEM CONTINUED SUCCESS IN ACHIEVING THEIR ASPIRED GOALS AND OBJECTIVES. MEANWHILE, AL AREEN RESORT CHAIRMAN, SHAIKH AHMED BIN ALI AL KHALIFA, HAD EARLIER FLAGGED OFF THE START OF THE RACE. SHAIKH HAZA'A TOOK FIRST PLACE CLINCHING THE CHAMPIONSHIP CUP, WHILE HIS COUNTRYMAN, YOUSIF AL BALUCHI CAME IN SECOND AND SHAIKH KHALID BIN SULTAN AL NAHYAN CAME IN THIRD. THE JUNIORS CATEGORY WAS WON BY UAE RIDER, AMEER HUSSAIN AL BALUCHI, SECOND CAME BAHRAIN RIDER, SHAIKHA NAJLA BINT SALMAN BINT SAQER AL KHALIFA AND THIRD WAS SHAIKH SAQER BIN KHALID AL KHALIFA.

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Equestrian News ReleaseAUBURN, Ca. ? Faced with the high price of fuel, more endurance riders are participating in multi-day events as a way to get more miles for their money, the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC), the governing body for endurance riding in the United States, reports.

?In today?s age of increased fuel and other costs, the multi-day ride is the best value going for endurance riders,? says past AERC President Randy Eiland. ?Instead of competing just one day, the multi-day ride allows the rider to participate in three or more endurance rides for the cost of only one trip.?

Participation in multi-day events has increased almost 13 percent per year from 1996 to 2005, according to AERC Vice President Michael Maul. ?The growth rate for multi-day rides is more than four times our annual membership growth of 3.1 percent,? says Maul.

In 2005, AERC recorded 4,341 entries in 34 different multi-day events representing 115 days of competition.

The multi-day event, or Pioneer Ride, is typically three to five days in length, and competitors ride 50 to 55 miles each day. The total minimum distance for a Pioneer Ride is 155 miles. While some opt to ride a different horse each day, many strive to complete the entire event?sometimes up to 250 miles total?on the same horse. Because of this, the atmosphere of the multi-day event is relaxed, and riders place more emphasis on finishing the day?s ride, rather than winning, thus providing testament to AERC?s motto, ?To Finish is to Win.?

Karen Chaton of Gardnerville, Nevada, says she enjoys multi-day rides because it gives her the chance to learn a lot about her horse and herself.

?I find multi-days to be the greatest challenge, and the most rewarding experience for me is to complete a five-day ride on the same horse,? says Chaton, who has twice won the XP Gold Medal Award for completing all five AERC-sanctioned XP multi-day rides (http://www.xprides.com) in one year?two three-day events and three five-day events totaling 1,060 miles?with her Arabian gelding, Granite Chief+/. ?The riders are more relaxed, and everybody tends to focus on experiencing the trail, their horse and their friends, which is more like family. It gets you away from the real world and puts you in an atmosphere that allows you to succeed or fail, while at the same time allowing you to learn so much,? says Chaton.

Eiland, who has been managing multi-day rides since 1988 and currently manages several three-day, 165-mile rides each year, says that his events in southern New Mexico attract riders from as far as Indiana and Canada. ?Pioneer Rides have proven both their worth and their ability to excite the membership,? he says.

The Pioneer Ride was born in 1982, when Tom Bowling was granted sanctioning by AERC for a four-day ride to help preserve historic trails. The following year, Dave Nicholson, D.V.M., who currently manages five multi-day rides each year, hosted the first of the five-day, point-to-point Pony Express Rides.

?Dave Nicholson?s ride captured the imagination of a few AERC members and proved to be a successful event,? says Eiland. ?From those early beginnings, more and more AERC members began to catch the multi-day ride excitement. The original Pioneer Rides were point-to-point rides over four or more days. In the mid-1990s, the AERC Board of Directors approved three-day events as Pioneer Rides to encourage more participation and opportunity for awards.

?This made the event available to a wider range of riders,? says Eiland. ?When multi-day rides began utilizing one base camp, the floodgate was opened. Today, the Pioneer Ride is one of the most popular and well-attended events that AERC sanctions.?

Says Chaton, ?I like how many of the multi-day rides are laid out, with one large loop out of camp. ?You get out there in some of the most beautiful country imaginable.?

Equestrian News ReleaseAUBURN, Ca.?The Arabian Horse Distance Riding Association (AHDRA) is sponsoring a charity event to benefit the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. Scheduled for July 14-16, this is the sixth year for this multiple distance ride competition, to be held at the 800-acre Farmdale Park in East Peoria, Illinois. The three-day event is sanctioned by the American Endurance Ride Conference (AERC) and will thrill riders with many levels of competition in endurance and competitive trail riding. Friday and Saturday will feature a two-day, 100-mile endurance ride, as well as 50-mile rides both days. Each of the three days will also feature a 25-mile Limited Distance (LD) ride, as well as a 25-mile competitive trail ride. There will be novice trail rides of 12.5 miles on both Friday and Saturday, and Sunday?s events will include a driving competition.

?This is a great event for a good cause,? said April Hammer, who manages the event. An oncology nurse, Hammer has been proud to hand over a check each year to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, and has been instrumental in raising more than $80,000 for breast cancer research. A global foundation, money received by the Komen Foundation is used for research, support and education.

Riders at the event will bring in donations from their personal networks and receive prizes donated by corporate and local sponsors. This year, Mortack, Inc. will donate a Kanavy Endurance Saddle to the rider who collects the most donations.

?Two years ago the saddle went to a rider that had just gone through chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer,? said Hammer.

The 2005 ride had more than 110 entries, and more are expected for this year?s event. Farmdale Park features single-track wooded trails, as well as open prairies with creek crossings. The large but primitive campground will have catered food available as well as a rider BBQ.

For more information about the event, contact event managers April Hammer or Bonnie Iten at (309) 698-1773, email april@endureforthecure.org, or visit http://www.endureforthecure.org. For more information about the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, visit http://www.komen.org.

An investigation is underway after a rider died after a fall from her horse during an equestrian endurance event in south Wales.

Jane Jones, 45, a mother-of-two from St Athan, Vale of Glamorgan, fell heavily as her horse appeared to bolt after it was spooked, say organisers.

She was flown to Morriston Hospital by air ambulance but died en route.

Event organisers Endurance GB are investigating the circumstances of the accident at Margam Park on Saturday.

They said Ms Jones died from internal injuries.

The Endura endurance event, held on forestry land adjoining the park near Port Talbot, attracted around 100 entries.

Endurance GB chairwoman Wendy Dunham said Ms Jones was one of a number of pleasure riders taking part.

"We are absolutely devastated by this and our thoughts and prayers are with her family" Wendy Dunham

Endurance riding involves competitors following a marked out cross-country course of up to 20 miles, although for pleasure riders the distance is shorter.

Riders are timed rather than race each other.

Mrs Dunham said the sport prided itself on being the safest of the equestrian events.

'Reacted quickly'

"It does not involve jumping or three-day-eventing," she said.

"I've been involved in the sport for almost 30 years and it is the first fatality I'm aware of.

"We are absolutely devastated by this and our thoughts and prayers are with her family.

"It would appear that Jane's horse was spooked and bolted. She fell heavily and despite swift response from other riders, the ride paramedic and the emergency services, she died on her way to hospital in the air ambulance."

Event health and safety manager Richard Tymons said: "Initially there were no physical signs of injury.

"The rider was helped into the event Land Rover and she remained conscious and lucid. She was complaining of chest and shoulder pains and we realised she was seriously injured.

"It was extremely unlucky that she fell onto a log and we believe she probably died from internal injuries."

She was an experienced horse woman who had taken part in similar rides

Her partner and seven-year-old daughter were at the event.

She also has a 14-year-old son.

There were two separate events held at Margam Park on the weekend - the Endura equestrian competition and the inaugural Festival of Horses.

Russell Ward of Neath Port Talbot Council said: "The accident took place in the forestry area surrounding the park and the event organisers reacted quickly."

He said the council immediately informed the Health and Safety Executive.

Monday, April 17, 2006

TODAY is the last day to submit entries for His Majesty King Hamad's Endurance Championship scheduled to start tomorrow at 11pm at the Bahrain International Endurance Village premises in Sakhir. A total of 130 riders, including 55 from the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have so far confirmed their participation in this prestigious event to be held under the patronage of Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef) president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

Shaikh Nasser, who is the captain of the Royal Endurance Team, will lead the Bahraini riders in this event which is sponsored by Al Areen Resort and Gulf Energy for the second consecutive year and consists of 120-km race for the juniors and a 130-km race for the seniors.

The junior race will be divided into five stages with 32 kms for the first and second stages, 20 kms each for the third and fourth stages, and 16 kms for the fifth.

In the senior race, 30 kms were approved for the first two stages, 30 kms for the third, 20 kms for the fourth and 16 kms for the fifth.

Meanwhile, Al Areen Resort and Gulf Energy signed a BD50,000 sponsorship agreements yesterday at the Al Areen Resort premises, near the endurance village.

Breef's Endurance Committee chairman Shaikh Faisal bin Rashid Al Khalifa said this year's event is expected to feature one of the most exciting races in the season with top riders from Bahrain and other GCC countries taking part.

Shaikh Faisal, who will lead the Al Talia Stable team in the championship, confirmed that FEI (International Equestrian Federation) rules will be applied in the championship. Riders taking part in the junior race must be aged between 14 and 21, and all horses should have an international passport issued by FEI.

Shaikh Faisal tipped the Bahrainis to dominate this event with top riders such as Abdulhaq Qadoori, Yousef Taher and Khalid Al Khatiri of the Royal Endurance Team taking part.

He asserted that all riders are eligible to bring safety helmets with them for the races and only one person is allowed inside the veterinary area. Veterinary tests will be made just before the start of the race.

Shaikh Faisal said the Breef assigned a team of highly qualified judges for the championship. A judges committee is headed by Britain's Carol Bonton and includes three Bahrainis - Ghalib Al Alawi, Ali Ghuloom and Al Zo'bi.

April 22, 2006 ? Livingston, Montana adventure company owner Felicia Ennis has partnered with the president of the Chilean Enduro Association to offer her clients an experience that blows the boundaries off a traditional ?dude? ride. Riders are encouraged to test their mettle and skill in the exotic Patagonia landscape of glaciers, granite mountains and turquoise colored lakes while competing in the unique one day Patagonia Enduro competition.

Experienced riders who participate will navigate through challenging and remote terrain including steep slopes, forests, prairies and rivers. Riders have a choice to ride 75km, 60km, 45km, or 25km. You will not want to miss this unique opportunity to immerse yourself in Patagonia traditions. ?There are many endurance championships, but such as the one in Patagonia there are not. You have to experience it.? Elizabeth Huygue ? Chilean national champion

In addition to the Patagonia Enduro, Bella Treks offers hiking and birding adventures in the Torres del Paine National Park and has recently added vineyard tours in northern Chile. Felicia Ennis is personally involved in each trip, from the dream stages to the actual adventure.

Bella Treks owner Felicia Ennis, besides being fluent in Spanish, is an accomplished outdoors-woman with spark and spunk who is at ease in the southern hemisphere. She lived and worked at the exclusive Explora Hotel in the Torres del Paine National Park where she honed her Spanish fluency and gained intimate knowledge of native plants and animals. Among Felicia?s many accomplishments is her ascent of the South Tower, the first recorded female ascent of this route. Other mountaineering adventures have put her on summits in Bolivia, Canada, the U.S. and in Europe. Due to her love for exploration a glacier is even named in her honor.

Anyone interested in this event should consider spending the week prior or after the race riding with Bella Treks. It?s guaranteed to be an adventure of a lifetime!

If you have any questions or would like more information about Bella Treks, please contact Bella Treks at (406)223-2595.

SHAIKH Hazza'a bin Sultan Al Nahyan will lead the UAE team in His Majesty King Hamad's Endurance Championship scheduled for Wednesday at the Bahrain International Endurance Village in Sakhir.

Shaikh Hazza'a, who notched an amazing victory in the World Championship last year in Dubai, will be among 25 top riders from the UAE in this prestigious event which consists of races for junior and senior categories.

Having won this event held in 2002, Shaikh Hazza'a is one of the major contenders. Other UAE riders taking part include defending champion Dr Jaber Baitar, Saeed bin Maktoum Al Maktoum, Mubarak Al Khalili, Mohammed Al Shamsi and Khamis Al Rumaihi.

From Kuwait, seven riders will be taking part. The team is led by Sulaiman Al Shatti who took part in the previous race. Other Kuwaiti entrants are Abdulla Al Sedairawi, Fahad Al Kandari, Yaqoub Al Nassrulla, Ali Al Khurafi and Bader Khalid.

Sponsored by Al Areen for the second consecutive year, the junior race will be over 120 kms and the senior race 130 kms.

The junior race will be divided into five stages with 32 kms for the first and second stages, 20 kms each for the third and fourth stages, and 16 kms for the fifth.

In the senior race, the 30 kms were set for the first two stages, 30 kms for the third, 20 kms for the fourth and 16 kms for the fifth.

The event will be held under the patronage of Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa who will lead the Bahraini riders.

Meanwhile, routes committee head Fahad Al Rumaihi said the committee is giving its final touches on the race routes for both categories.

Thursday, April 13, 2006

Equestrian News ReleaseMoscow, Idaho - The Appaloosa Horse Club (ApHC) is proud to announce its inaugural 50-mile National Championship Endurance Ride scheduled for June 3, 2006, in Palmyra, Wisconsin. The event is being hosted by and held in conjunction with an Appaloosa Distance Riding Association (ApDRA) ride, and will follow the guidelines and rules set forth by the American Endurance Ride Conference.

Horses and riders have until May 30, 2006, to qualify. Youth riders 16 and under as of January 1, 2006, do not need to qualify for the ride, but they are required to ride with a sponsor.

In order to qualify for the ride, an Appaloosa must be regular- or CPO-registered with the ApHC, and the owner must be a current ApHC member in good standing. Both the horse and rider must have completed 100 lifetime distance miles, although mileage accrued does not have to be from the rider/horse combination that is registering for the ride. The 100 distance miles can be accumulated from endurance and/or competitive trail rides of 25 miles distance or greater. However, 50 of the 100 miles must be from a successfully completed 50-mile endurance ride.

Qualified riders must dual-register both with the ApHC and with the ApDRA to enter the ride. The ApHC registration fee is $35 if registered by April 30, 2006, and a late registration fee of $75 will apply if registering from May 1 -through June 2. Applications for the ride can be downloaded at http://www.appaloosa.com. Contact Dawn Joy Haas with the ApDRA at (262) 495-8105 for ApDRA registration requirements.

The first Appaloosa to successfully complete the ride will be titled an ApHC National Champion and will receive a National Endurance Ride Championship trophy. The champion will also receive a buckle sponsored by JB Tack of Jefferson, Wisconsin.

The George Hatley Best Condition trophy will be awarded to the horse judged by the vet to be in the best condition at the end of the race. Only the first 10 Appaloosas to successfully complete the ride within two hours of the winning Appaloosa's time will be considered for this award. The name of the horse earning the award will be added to the trophy, which the award winner will keep for a one-year period. The remaining top 10 finishers will each receive an award ribbon. Western Cattle Company of Peru, Illinois, is also sponsoring a buckle for the best-condition award.

The Heart of Illinois Spring Get Out Show is sponsoring a belt buckle in memory of Louis Busch, to be awarded to the first youth finishing successfully.

All riders will enjoy a dinner on Friday evening, June 2, provided by several generous individuals, and will receive a bag of feed and a T-shirt provided by Nutrena. The ApHC would like to express appreciation to the sponsors of the ride and all the individuals who have put forth time and money to ensure the ride will be successful and enjoyable.

For additional information on the ride, please contact the ApHC Trail Department at (208) 882-5578 ext. 221 or trailrides@appaloosa.com.

FUGITIVO received on April 8 of 2006 the WAHO TROPHY as the most outstanding Arab Horse bred and living in Argentina.

This very special Trophy was created by the WAHO (World Arabian Horse Organization) Executive Committee and aims to distinguish an exceptional horse in each Country who has an Arab Horse Registry recognized by WAHO.

Is the National Arab Horse Society in each Country who selects the distinguish horse for this award.

The Argentina Arab Horse Breeders Society took the decision after evaluating all candidates who's CV were submitted by owners and breeders to nominate FUGITIVO the recipient of this award.

The Award was presented with the presence of FUGITIVO and his breeders and owners, Celina & Miguel Pavlovsky from Haras San Andres del Moro. It took place during the Argentina National Horse Show this April at Palermo Show Grounds and the Trophy was presented by the President of WAHO Dr. Hans J. Nagel (Germany) and members of the Board, Mrs. Claudia Caraballo de Quentin (Argentina), Mrs. Izabella Pawelec-Zawadzka (Poland) and Mr. Peter J. Pond (Australia).

FUGITIVO is an Arab stallion born in April 1.980, his mother Fuga came from old Argentine lines and his father was imported from the U.K. of Crabbet origins. During his long 12 years of active competitions he won National Championships in Dressage, Jumping, Driving, Barrel Racing, Pole Racing and in Ridden Classes with English saddle and Gaucho Saddle. He won the Senior Championship in Halter.

In Open Championship (for all breeds) he won National Titles in Barrel & Pole Racing. He competed in Flat Races and won in Endurance Competitions. He is the most versatile winner of performance competition in Argentina and had passed to his sons and grand sons his successful competitive spirit. His sons had been winners in the Race Track with Horse of the Year Awards, and were very successful in Endurance Competition with more than 20 sons exported as successful endurance horses. Fugitivo also as a Maternal Grand Father continue transmitting his athletic conditions. In the last 3 years The Endurance Argentine National Championship were won by his grandsons. In the 2.004 National Championship the four first have FUGITIVO as a Father or Maternal Grand Father. FUGITIVO in good shape despite his 26 y.o. left his pasture as a recent retired stallion did a long travel to Buenos Aires to receive with honors this unique WAHO Trophy.

Saturday, April 01, 2006

ENDURANCE RIDER Holly Foiles of Groveland and mule Sarge will act as Buck Meadows Boogie hosts along with family dog Bart.Benjamin Hicks/Copyright 2006, The Union Democrat

By CAMERON PARKINSON

Photo: ENDURANCE RIDER Holly Foiles of Groveland and mule Sarge will act as Buck Meadows Boogie hosts along with family dog Bart.Benjamin Hicks/Copyright 2006, The Union DemocratIt's just you, your thoughts and your mount. It's a day filled with the sights and sounds of nature. It's rattlesnakes, bobcats and hours of riding. It's an Endurance Ride.

"It's not for every horseback rider. But for those of us who like to get out and go it's a really neat thing," said Holly Foiles, a rider for the past 34 years. "It's a lot of personal satisfaction. You see things you would never see while driving around in a car."

Endurance rides can span 25, 50 and 100 miles with rides ranging from six to 24 hours.

"Most of the time you're trotting along," Foiles said. "It's not a race like you see on TV ... you have to know how fast your horse can go."

A major role in the strategy of the race involves routine veterinary checks to make sure the horses are healthy. According to Foiles, the horses must drop to a certain heart rate before being checked.

"You can pass people in the vet check. If they come in fast then it takes longer for their heart rate to come down to get checked."

Foiles and Anita Siondella are hosting a ride April 8 called the Buck Meadows Boogie with a 25- and a 50-mile races. The 50-mile riders leave at 6:30 a.m. and the 25-mile riders leave an hour later.

The 50-mile race generally takes 12 hours and the 25-mile race usually is under six hours. The races include veterinarian checks to make sure the horses are healthy, with three checks along a 50-mile route and one in a 25-mile race.

"Ultimately the riders are responsible for the horse," Foiles said. "You should be able to know your horse and know if something is rong."

Siondella rides Sam, a 16-year old horse who has more than 3,000 miles of competition experience. Sam has been on nine 100-mile rides, which usually last 24 hours.

"They have been riding together for 11 years," Foiles said. "Sam is a good horse. He's really an amazing guy."

Foiles rides 16-year old Sarge, a mule who is the last son of Frosty, Foiles' first horse.

"You try to find the most talented horse you can afford," Foiles said. "You want a horse that wants to go do this, that is happy after doing 50 miles and would be happy to go out and do another 50. Sam is that kind of horse and Sarge is pretty good at it."

Foiles said 35 riders have signed up from all over California and that a maximum of 100 can take part.

"We get people that show up in big fancy rigs and motorhomes, and then you get someone with a pickup and a tent," Foiles said. "It's not just for rich people that have money. It's for anyone who can get their horse into shape."Click this picture to view a larger image.

ENDURANCE RIDER Holly Foiles of Groveland and mule Sarge will act as Buck Meadows Boogie hosts along with family dog Bart.Benjamin Hicks/Copyright 2006, The Union Democrat

By CAMERON PARKINSON

It's just you, your thoughts and your mount. It's a day filled with the sights and sounds of nature. It's rattlesnakes, bobcats and hours of riding. It's an Endurance Ride.

"It's not for every horseback rider. But for those of us who like to get out and go it's a really neat thing," said Holly Foiles, a rider for the past 34 years. "It's a lot of personal satisfaction. You see things you would never see while driving around in a car."

Endurance rides can span 25, 50 and 100 miles with rides ranging from six to 24 hours.

"Most of the time you're trotting along," Foiles said. "It's not a race like you see on TV ... you have to know how fast your horse can go."

A major role in the strategy of the race involves routine veterinary checks to make sure the horses are healthy. According to Foiles, the horses must drop to a certain heart rate before being checked.

"You can pass people in the vet check. If they come in fast then it takes longer for their heart rate to come down to get checked."

Foiles and Anita Siondella are hosting a ride April 8 called the Buck Meadows Boogie with a 25- and a 50-mile races. The 50-mile riders leave at 6:30 a.m. and the 25-mile riders leave an hour later.

The 50-mile race generally takes 12 hours and the 25-mile race usually is under six hours. The races include veterinarian checks to make sure the horses are healthy, with three checks along a 50-mile route and one in a 25-mile race.

"Ultimately the riders are responsible for the horse," Foiles said. "You should be able to know your horse and know if something is rong."

Siondella rides Sam, a 16-year old horse who has more than 3,000 miles of competition experience. Sam has been on nine 100-mile rides, which usually last 24 hours.

"They have been riding together for 11 years," Foiles said. "Sam is a good horse. He's really an amazing guy."

Foiles rides 16-year old Sarge, a mule who is the last son of Frosty, Foiles' first horse.

"You try to find the most talented horse you can afford," Foiles said. "You want a horse that wants to go do this, that is happy after doing 50 miles and would be happy to go out and do another 50. Sam is that kind of horse and Sarge is pretty good at it."

Foiles said 35 riders have signed up from all over California and that a maximum of 100 can take part.

"We get people that show up in big fancy rigs and motorhomes, and then you get someone with a pickup and a tent," Foiles said. "It's not just for rich people that have money. It's for anyone who can get their horse into shape."